NCAA Basketball: Guard Luke Traina a rising star in 2020 recruiting class

The 2020 NCAA Basketball recruiting cycle is getting underway and while you might know about the top guys, there are some talented lesser-known players, such as Luke Traina.

NCAA Basketball prospect Luke Traina is an exciting player who has an interesting story off of the basketball court. His father had a stroke four years ago and he’s had to take on a big responsibility helping him with his rehab as well as helping take care of his younger siblings, while also prioritizing his success both in the classroom and on the basketball court.

He is listed at 6’5″, 180 pounds as well as being a three-star recruit. I was given the chance to chat with him about his recruitment process which is very unique when compared to many of the top recruits that you hear about on a daily basis. Give him a follow on Twitter @luketraina9 to stay up to date on his latest recruitment news.

Q: What’s most surprising about the recruiting process now that you’re going through it first hand?

A: The most surprising thing to me about the process is the longevity of it. When you see all the five-star recruits in the media it makes it look easy to get offers. The average offer comes over the course of a year, or maybe even longer. You have to spend a lot of time communicating and visiting to draw interest since most players don’t receive an offer right after an impressive tournament as we sometimes see.

Q: What would you say are your biggest strengths on the court?

A: On the court, I would call myself a leader, both vocally and mentally. Offensively, I pride myself on being able to score the ball at all three levels. I’m a shooter who can drive to the bucket, but I’m also confident in hitting mid-range jumpers. With my ability to play above the rim, I’m able to make plays on both ends of the floor.

My athleticism helps on the defensive end as I’m able to get in the face of my opponent for 90 feet. The higher schools set me apart from some of the other recruits because of my ability and willingness to defend. Most talented players at my size are able to score the ball, but not all of them are willing to lock in defensively. One other area is my ability to play faceless. I won’t get down after a mistake which includes not ever getting into it with another player, coach, or referee.

Q: What do you feel you need to work on as you prepare for the college game?

A: To have success at the college level I will need to get stronger. Standing at 6’5″, 180 pounds won’t cut it against some of the top players in college basketball. I’m hitting the weight room at least 4/5 days a week as I try to put on at least 15 pounds in the next year.

Q: You recently visited Virginia, what stood out to you most on that trip?

A: ” Virginia was absolutely amazing, blew me away.” That’s expected out of the national champions, but it was still an amazing visit. One interesting thing was I found some connections in the program. The coach recruiting me is Coach Mangino and he was the head coach at Clark (Mass.) while my grandfather was the president.

I was able to meet two players currently on the roster, one being a captain and one a preferred walk-on. They were welcoming and respectful as they made me feel right at home. That was the case with everyone I met as I was able to chat with many people on the staff. Other than the trophy they had it’s hard to tell they were the national champions with their welcoming spirit.

The five pillars they have really got me interested. They fit with how I go about life and how I want to be coached. Both my biblical and athletic beliefs fit with what Coach Bennett has built on the court with the style of play, and with the way he coaches. “Bottom line – I Loved Virginia.”

Q: Do you have any other visits planned or schools that you would like to visit in the future?

A: As of right now I have visits planned for both Richmond and Elon for the week of May 31st. Since my last live period, higher level schools have reached out trying to bring me in for a visit. I’ll have a few more after that but have yet to set an official date. Coach Vince Walden is the coach who recruited me while he was at Arkansas State, but he has since moved to Elon. Coach Schrage from Elon has also made a big impact on me as he has taught me so much from his various stops at schools such as Ohio State, Butler, and Duke. He’s a dynamic young coach that I can connect with and that’s the type of person I want to play for.

Q: Are you looking to land at a Power 5 school or will you focus on the right fit?

A: I want to find the best fit for me. Academics are big in my family and wherever I end up I want that to be a focus. Virginia has that for me which is exciting. I want to be able to connect with the coaches and players as those bonds will be built and will be family for the rest of my life.

Q: Are there any school(s) so far that have stood out to you in your decision process?

A:  There are no favorites at the moment, but as I’ve mentioned a few times already Virginia made a great impression. I have enjoyed all the schools that have offered and recruited me so far. The hospitality on my visits has been amazing as they have been very flexible with my schedule which means a lot.

Since his dad isn’t able to travel around and his mom is needed to stay back to take care of him, he has had to go through the recruitment process on his own. He makes these connections and goes on visits by himself which is very different from many of the recruits that you hear about today.

While his schoolwork and basketball career is important he has also found time to do a lot of volunteer work. He is currently up for the International Volunteer Headquarters Humanitarian of the Year award for 2019. He has done work in several countries with his religion being a key part of that. One of his recent trips was to help those fleeing from the Syrian War. Another way he has helped was collecting books to help build libraries for kids.

While he has done a lot overseas he has also done some work in his local community. He has helped start a special needs basketball league. It started with him just shooting hoops with a friend and now over 75 participants and 50 coaches help out weekly. The first trip he took was at age 14 and just as in his recruitment he organizes these by himself. His parents haven’t been able to help, but that hasn’t slowed him down at all, not in the community or on the court.

Luke Traina is a part of the 2020 class and he continues to receive interest from multiple division one schools across the country. His recent visit to Virginia shows that other top schools should consider taking a look at this kid and potentially adding him to their 2020 recruiting class.